Aren’t You Grateful It’s Not a Bunny?
by Appomattoxco
Summary: When Anya and Giles summon a spirit guide to find a way to defeat the First they get more than they expected. Cary Grant inspired Ganya and Spuffy Chapters 18 revised.
1. 1

Title: Aren't You Grateful It's Not a Bunny? Part 1/? The Amazing Quest

Author: Appomattoxco

Rating: PG

Pairings: G/Anya B/S with a surprise thrown or two in

Summary: Season 7 of BtVS When Giles and Anya Summon a spirit guide to find a way to defeat the First they get much more than they expected. inspired by Cary Grant and writen for Miss Murchinson.

A/N1Wonderful beta work by BabiesStoleMyDingo. Any Errors are my own fault

A/N 2 I've messed with canon and the timeline. Only three potentials exists Vi, Ahn Cho and Amanda. Oh yeah no principal Wood. Either they never existed or they died horribly at the hands of the bringers whatever will make you happiest. I have my own take on why the First is all stirred up and how it gets taken down too.

Warnings: Romantic Comedy so expect schmoop and "fade to black kisses"

Giles was headed back to the kitchen for another cup of tea. As he passed by her chair Anya called his attention with the first thing on hand. If she could get him to look at what she was reading she thought he might put one of his large warm hands on her shoulder or get a peek at the red lacey bra he didn't know she was wearing for him. "Maybe if you used this ritual and sought a spirit guide? It's a new moon tomorrow and the woods will be a good place for it," Anya suggested to Giles, pointing out the page she was reading in a book of ancient demon ritual, doing her best to hide her surprise at its relevance.

"Didn't Dawn tell me about Buffy already doing that when Glory showed up?" Andrew asked.

Anya glared at him for reminding her she wasn't alone with Giles and said, "It's not the same.

Besides, this is real life not a stupid T.V. show. The same thing can work more than once..."Anya stopped before completing the sentence, suddenly thinking that perhaps their ratings were down. The idea that her life just might be canceled didn't seem funny at all.

It was well over between them, but Xander could still recognize the look of panic in Anya's eyes. It wasn't like he hadn't had many chances to see it, after all. "He only meant it didn't do much good then."

"Yes. Yes it did Xan," Buffy said solemnly, then tried to lighten the mood. "I guess I'll need to find an extra sleeping bag. It looks like Giles and I will be doing some camping."

"I don't think it would be wise. That kind of spell would leave you much too vulnerable to the First." Giles rubbed the back of his neck and thought a moment. Trying to focus on the problem at hand and not on Anya's bosom or the tiny hint of red he could see when he first looked down. "Perhaps with Willow's assistance I could?"

Willow was already shaking her head and beginning to protest when Anya interrupted. "I'll do it. For the love of Pete, why doesn't anyone around here remember I can do a little magic?"

"This takes an experienced caster. Perhaps we can find an alterative. The B..."

"And people say I have no manners. Do I need to remind you that it's not nice to make a lady recount her age, Giles?" The other women in the room shot Anya a look, but her flirting passed right over Giles' and Xander's heads like a flying monkey.

"It works for me. I get to miss out on the not-so-fun cryptic campfire tale, and you and Anya get to do the hokey pokey." Buffy blushed brightly, and in spite of her earlier distress, Willow was biting her tongue to keep from laughing.

The pair made it to the appointed place without incident. Well, without killing each other, anyway. Giles had a lot to say about Anya's skills as a driver, after the coin toss ended their long argument over who would get behind the wheel. Anya did her share of grumbling over how much Giles had packed for the overnight trip.

They chanted and made the proscribed offerings. Anya was to simply serve as an anchor on this plane, while Giles sought a guide for advice on how to defeat the First. The minute their hands touched he knew they should have practiced some meditation together. Anya definitely kept her focus and there was no question that she kept him anchored, but she had far more power of her own than he had anticipated.

It all might still have worked out fine, but at the exact moment the guide beckoned him, an Old English Sheepdog came bounding out from behind some underbrush, knocked over the small altar, and stole the bone they had placed there as an offering. It was a large dog but remarkably fast. When they gave up the chase, Giles was limping and Anya was gasping for breath.

"Look over there! It's not a complete loss. Maybe we don't even need the old bone—we still have the guide."

Giles turned his light to left and saw an animal sitting there. He could sense the magic from it, but it was definitely corporeal. "Anya, that's not a bloody spirit guide! It's not a spirit anything thing; you made a flesh and blood leopard!"

"Me? I didn't do this! It's all your fault, mister I!am!the!Watcher!here!" Anya punctuated each closely strung word with a poke to Giles chest.

Giles began to fantasize; if he took that small elegant hand in his and kissed her palm, perhaps sucked that pink tipped finger... Good Lord, he thought, the woman was driving him insane. He didn't notice she just kept on.

"If you had just listened to me and spent the last couple of hours giving me orgasms, this wouldn't have happened. No, you had to prepare for a vision quest the traditional stuffy Watcher way."

"I fail to see how 'shagging you senseless' would have helped in this situation. If you had applied yourself to the meditation... and why on earth did you use that particular term? Who did you think you were speaking to? Spike?"

"Rupert, are you jealous? It was only that one time and we were drunk. That was all your fault too; it was your alcohol, so you really can't blame either of us."

"Why would I be jealous of Spike? Of course you've had drunken sex with him. Everybody's done it." Giles was shockingly angry at himself for leaving last year, in a way he hadn't been when Buffy told him much the same thing. Now he was jealous. It was just stress. It had to be; this wasn't the time or place to let his heart thaw. So, he only allowed his irritation at Anya to show.

"Giles, was it the summer after Glory?" Anya asked eagerly." Don't be embarrassed. Spikes very good, even when he's inebriated and grief can make people act out of character." She patted Giles' hand and tried to act reassuring. Privately she mused regretfully that if the pair ever actually had drunken gay sex it would never have been taped.

It was easy to see the man was getting upset. Before this, Anya had admired Giles for his cool head in a crisis. Of course there was that incident with the bunnies... Anya shuddered. It was time they both refocused. "Giles, I don't think she's going to eat us. I think she wants us to follow her."


	2. 2

Part 2 North by Northwest

Giles looked on as Anya crouched down and was cooing to the big cat as if it were one of his Aunt Gem's old tabbies. "What is it baby do want us to follow you?"

He was just about to protest that this was powerful being from another plain and not **Lassie **when the leopard nodded and headed deeper into the woods. It became obvious that Anya was right and the cat was leading them somewhere, more than once the cat stopped whenever Giles's sore ankle made him lag behind.

"Do you think that where ever we're being led will help us defeat the First Giles?"

"That was the purpose of the summoning but the ritual's outcome was far different than expected. For all I know your 'Baby' just wants to go for a moonlit stroll."

"Maybe she only wants to get her bone back from that dog. I caught a glimpse of him though the trees before. We're almost on the edge of country club now aren't we? "

"You could be right about the bone. It's possible that she can't leave this plain without her offering. You're wrong about the country club it's is the opposite direction and even if it weren't there's no way we've gotten that far from camp."

"Hey! Where'd she go? She was right in front of us before. Here kitty, kitty here baby." Giles was just about to say something about the term "kitty" when it began to pour down rain. Anya took grabbed his empty hand and shouted at him to hurry. He had no choice but to follow as Anya led him out of the wood and onto the green of golf course. Several yards to their left was a large building the leopard could be seem silhouetted against one of the white columns of the long porch. "Quick let's head for Tara over there not the person who's dead. I mean the Greek revival building facing this lovely golf course."

"You're never going to let me hear the end of this are you?"

"No is there any reason I should? Less talking more running we're getting soaked."

"Are **you** telling me that **I** talk too much?" Suddenly Giles slipped on the wet grass and pulled Anya down with him.

"Everyone knows you have a tendency to lec..." Somehow Anya ended up sprawled on top of Giles. His body was so warm in contrast to the cold rain and his jaw was so set she couldn't help herself. They had the same thought at the same time the kiss they shared was wild and tender all at the same time. Time and place did that strange expand and contract thing that happens when you focus very intently on just one subject. Then lightening hit very near by.

"God this is wonderful, insane. We need to head for some shelter." Anya echoed Giles practically word for word and punctuated the sentences with a last quick kiss as they scrabbled to their feet and headed for the columned porch.

"Well at least we don't need to worry about our appearance." Anya said when they reached the door. It was hanging wide open and the house was obviously abandoned. She squeezed some of the water out of her hair and tried to brush the damp grass off Giles back anyway. Then she flipped light switch not really expecting them to come on and was surprised when they did.

"Yes or whether they take pets or not." He said because lying in front of the cold hearth was the sheepdog chewing away at the bone. The house looked just as much like the set of **Gone with the Wind** on the inside except for the dust coating everything. The house was close enough to the Hellmouth that this bothered Giles.

"Something's wrong here Giles. Why haven't vampires moved in or demons looted this place yet? You could make a lot of money selling that chandler to a decorator or a gourmet zafp demon."

"I was thinking much the same thing. Be on guard but we have been led here after all and we haven't seen any evidence that the guide means us any harm."

Anya looked scandalized she was scratching behind the big cat's silky ear and said to it "He's just got to be extra stuffy now that there aren't many Watchers left. He didn't mean to be insulting of course Giles loves Baby too. Don't you Giles?"

What I love is the way your hands feel on me Giles thought. What I have to do is focus on the mission and not on how much I want to kiss you again. "Extra stuffy I can't believe you'd call me that after we were rolling around on the lawn in the rain. You're the one who was taking inventory of damn house!"

"You said you agreed with m me. I'm not greed-y?" Her words started off angry and became a soft question at the end.

"I did not call you greedy. You called me stuffy." Looking at Anya whose lip was quivering Giles voice became tender "Anya?"

"Don't look at me l-like that I'm not going to cry, I'm just cold." She half lied.

"I'm sorry d..." He cut off the endearment and rubbed his temple either to fend off a headache or to clear away the emotion on his face. "It doesn't look like the leopard wants to go anywhere right now I'll just build a fire so we can get warm. That's if I can't get the dust mop to move." The dog in question stopped gnawing on the bone and rolled over to invite a tummy rub. "You can't possibly be greedy if you were you, you would have already pointed out that mop here has the worlds most expensive chew toy." Giles said petting the dog.

"It wasn't cheep but I did get a pretty good deal on ebay. Giles look. Is that who I think it is?"

Above the mantle so prominent that Giles couldn't believe he missed it was a portrait of someone very familiar. "I can't believe I missed seeing that. Richard Wilkins, this must explain why the place has remained untouched so long."

"That guy has always scared me. Do you still think we should be here Giles?"

"Don't you?" He asked

Anya felt a wave of reassurance when she rubbed Baby's ear. "Yes I do. For now I think we should stay right where we are but I wouldn't have a problem with us getting closer together once the fire gotten going. What'd say?"

"I say that it won't take me very long at all to get the fire started and get you warm again."


	3. 3

Part 3

I'm No Angel

The room was the pale gray of early morning when Giles woke up to the feel of sandpaper on his face. The leopard was licking his face and its voice in his head was telling him to get up and keep quiet. She led him to the corner window and picked up the bone that was lying there. Giles could see Beaker's Woods outside the window but it also seemed to reflect other dimensions. He was shown quick glimpses of different futures.

However the many possible futures that played out in the window offered no solution to defeating the First. Whatever path he took every decision made by he or Buffy led to death of someone dear to him if not

the end of world itself. He couldn't untangle all

this he thought. Was he supposed to decide who lived

and died? One thing was certain every horror started

with Spike's final death. Did he simply need to keep

the vampire alive what good could that do?

How many times did it have to be pointed out that the situation was hopeless? If he heard the leopard say 'from beneath it devours' he would wake Anya with his scream. Then the scene changed a dozen people posing for a photo in front of a birthday banner. The birthday girl was front and

center and Buffy and Anya were on either side of her

looking like a pair of bookends. The whole group was

smiling but the three women in the middle radiated a

happiness he'd never seen in them before.

"When a plant becomes root-bound it needs replanting. Find the vessel and so that you all may become what you already are." The guide thought to Giles

"Tell them all what I've said, each one needs to at the party but what you've seen is for you alone. Let the future unfold for the others and remember if you are to survive at all it will be together."

"Surely I can't be expected to keep what I've seen from Anya and Buffy?" He asked.

"You'll know when the time is right." Then she laughed

and without even a shimmer the leopard was gone

taking the bone with her.

The unpleasant aspects of the night before were pushed aside by Giles as Anya woke up and gained his whole attention. "Hmm... Good morning darling. Please disregard my silly looking grin it's all your fault."

"Good morning, Rupert is your ankle feeling better? At least it wasn't your poor head I really worry you've been knock out too many times and I like your grin and I love the way you say darling." Anya was so busy chastising herself for being so unromantic one moment and so sappy the next that she nearly missed Giles answer to her Willow like babble.

"My ankle's fine and I like the way you say my name." Giles thought to himself that their conversation was becoming as silly as his expression probably was and he just didn't give a damn even under the

circumstances or maybe just because of them.

"Your name makes me smile."

"Because it's ridiculous?"

"No Archibald Leach is a ridiculous name. Your name

makes me smile because it's yours."

"For a comment like that not to mention a night like last night you deserve champagne and roses this morning but I'm afraid all I have to offer is water and a power bar or two." All things considered champagne mightn't be the best idea anyway Giles reflected.

"Since we seem to be trying to out schmoop each other can we assume that last night's mind-blowing orgasms weren't a one time, or rather three time thing." As honest as Anya liked to be this time she promised herself she wouldn't rush into saying 'I love you.' so she change the subject before the words popped out. "Rupert where is Baby?"

"B baby?" The conversation had taken a hard left while Giles was deep in his own thoughts about the night before and what he was shown this morning.

"Yes Baby. You remember the leopard, not so much of a spirit, spirit guide?"

"Oh, um yes of course we were calling her that weren't we? I'm not sure where she went. It's probable the effects of the ritual are over now that it's morning." Giles reasoned to himself that if Anya needed to see the things he was shown last night the guide would have woken her up too.

"It can't be over we didn't get any help. Maybe she's just in another room. I need a bathroom anyway let's go search."

There was no trace of the leopard or the dog anywhere they looked and Giles was beginning to believe that the Sheepdog was also a result of the ritual. When they entered the library Giles was sure they had found the reason they had been led to the Mayor's home. There was sure to be a useful book or artifact here but the Mayor seemed to have a fondness for children's classics and time life books.

"Anya what in the world are you doing?' She seemed to be closely examining every light fixture in the room.

"Don't laugh I'm looking for a lever you know to open the secret passage this room has to have one."

"Of course if Richard Wilkins had owned anything besides the books of ascension it's unlikely they would be kept out where the Junior League could see them."

"I don't know about that the JL can be pretty scary I think the L.A. chapter's run by a demon. You know it's too bad the dog is gone. In the cartoon the dog is always the first to find the hidden passage."

"Yes it's a shame really I'm sure the dog would have been invaluable especially as a dust mop to clear away the cobwebs." Giles said dryly.

"Rupert Giles are you making fun of me?"

"Just a little." He admitted.

"Good." Giles raised a brow and Anya continued "Well I wouldn't want you to make a habit of it but it's nice to see you lighten up a tiny bit."

Giles was going to protest being called stuffy again when he heard the sound of a dog whining and barking "Anya do you hear that?"

"I was right I knew the dog would find it!" Anya said as she pushed at the bookcase she could hear the sound of scratching and barking behind. She finally mange to hit the right spot and the bookcase swung inward and the dog came bounding out and knocked her backwards before Giles could catch her.

"Anya! Are you alright."

"Mop, get off me you menace." Anya giggled under the pile of fur before gabbing Giles hand to pull herself up and reassuring him that she was fine.

"It

looks as if it's a hidden stairway to the attic. Boy

am I glad, I'm really getting sick of basements. I've

been thinking Rupert, why do suppose this place

feels so safe? I mean the Mayor was a pretty big bad. Shouldn't this place be much more evil and creepy?"

"We did plead for knowledge and safety remember. It

could be because of the ritual or something about the

home itself we don't know yet. Just because the

forces of evil prevail right now does not mean that

there isn't a balancing force for good."

"Are you saying someone up there likes us?"

"I don't know. I can only hope..." Giles was speechless when they entered the attic. It was far larger than

the Magic Box had been and the floors to ceiling

shelves were filled with books and artifacts.

Anya hugged his arm just as impressed with the

treasure trove and said, "If a way to deal with the First

exists it's got to be here, this looks like Watcher's Paradise." And they began exploring the rows of bookcases like kids let loose in a very dusty Toys R Us. Both of them were taking stock in their own way. While Giles tried to catalogue it all in his head Anya was mentally taking inventory. "I think the doggy dust mop wasn't such a bad idea after all."

Anya sneezed and seemed to bring Giles back to reality. He moved to steady her ladder. "Be careful coming down that." Giles took advantage of her added height on the ladder and kiss the back of her neck before she reached the floor.

"I'm not the klutz in this relationship." Anya teased a protest from Giles and then said, "We can't take all this you know."

He nodded in agreement. "We should call the others get them to bring cartons for all this."

"That's not a very good idea."

"I realize that none of this belongs to us and

strictly speaking it would be stealing but under the circumstances –"

"No I mean it wouldn't be practical there's too much here were would we put it all? Buffy's house is already overcrowded with teenagers."

"What can we do move in here? That's hardly practical."

"Why not, at least this place has more than one

bathroom. Besides moving "Slayerville" away from the

Hellmouth a little bit might be a good idea."

"We can't just move in here."

"Sure we can there was a for sale sign on the

yard."

"There wasn't any for sale sign. When did you notice the for sale sign? If you say it was while we were kissing I won't be held accountable." He warned only half joking.

"I ran into it last night." She mumbled.

"And here I thought your middle name was Grace."

"Is it? I made up so many sometimes one will slip my

mind." Anya said with a strait face then they were

both laughing, giggles and gales pours out them.

Anyone watching would've wondered what was so funny

and they would be able to say. They were

just as caught up in each other as they were the night

before when they were making love.

They were sitting on the floor Anya was rubbing tears of laughter from her eyes and leaving streaks of grime behind. Giles's sides were aching and when he caught his breath he said simply and deliberately, "I love you."

Anya became just as serious and said,

"I should warn you not to love me. I can't think of a single person we both know who won't hate the idea of us together. I should tell you I'm not good enough for you and even if I were I might not be tomorrow. I'm not sure who or what I am, I change every day. But you didn't hear me say all that because I'm pretty sure that who ever I am now and whoever I become I'll always have enough good sense to love you."

"If you want full disclosure you're not getting it." Giles said, taking a hanky out of his pocket and wiping Anya's cheeks tenderly. "There are a few things I refuse to warn you about. I have a checkered past and an uncertain future. I'm not even sure what country I'll be

in next week but I'm certain that where ever I am I'll love you. One more thing I'm sorry to disappoint you but there's no way I can afford this house."

"It's ok about the house I was planning to buy it myself anyway." Anya said smiling again.


	4. 4

Part 4 Talk of the Town.

Anya and Giles stood at the door of the Summers' home feeling the same kind of trepidation they felt taking the first step out of the mansion earlier. They might have been happier entering a hell dimension. The greek-revival had been a safe haven, but now they had to face the real world again. At least Mop had insisted on coming along.

Anya said, "We shouldn't be doing this."

"Yes, we should; it's best to get it over with," Giles said.

"I meant this way." She looked down at their clasped hands.

"I know." Giles let go of Mop to ring the bell but held on to Anya's hand. In the end no one noticed their hands at all. Dawn answered the door and immediately started to squeal excitedly over the Old English Sheepdog.

"Giles! He's so cute. Are we keeping him? Buffy, come see—Giles got us a dog!"

"Is that a new Potential, Giles? If so, I think she needs to look into electrolysis. It can't be a dog, because you know we have nowhere to put a dog that big."

Buffy had her arms crossed over her chest, and for some reason Giles felt nine years old. He took his glasses off and polished them. "Yes, well, um, it seems that Mop here has adopted us." Giles looked to Anya and put his glasses back on. "As for the issue of space, we've found a house. Anya's already contacted the agent about it."

"Mayor Wilkins' will stated that the house had to be kept intact for three years after his death. I guess in case he needed it again. So it just was just about to go on the market after the estate auction. I made an offer to buy it furnished, and they couldn't refuse. Wait 'til you see all the bathrooms. That man sure liked to be clean."

Dawn said, "That's so great! I hope the hot water heater works; I'm always last in the shower."

"Hold your horses; they're getting way ahead of me," Buffy protested. "You want us to move? Into the house formerly owned by the giant snake that ate Snyder? What kind of magic weed did you use in that ritual, anyway?"

"The ritual led us to the Mayor's summer home," Giles explained. "Buffy, the Books of Ascension weren't the only ones in his possession. He amassed a huge collection, and somewhere in it is the secret to stopping the First. We can't possibly move it here. You said yourself we need to be together now."

Buffy looked around and considered the memories around her. "Would I have to sell the house?"

"Of course not. We can even have wards put in place to keep it safe," Giles said.

"Yes, this is just until we've stopped the end of the world, or all died. Rupert and I don't want to live with you all indefinitely." Anya blushed a little not over revealing her new relationship with Giles, but she didn't want to alienate Buffy. She was aware of how miserable her life might become if she was cast in the role of "surrogate evil stepmother." "I mean, the place has lots of room, so it'll a great place for Scooby meetings. Provided you don't run the owner through with a sword, you'll always be welcome." She wanted to add a warning to call first because they might be having sex, but she figured showing up unannounced would only happen once. Besides, it didn't look like Buffy or anyone else was listening to her.

888 

Buffy walked into her kitchen at around 2 AM, intent on finding the last of the Ben & Jerry's, and let out a small and un-Slayer like "eep!" Anya was sitting on the counter and Giles seemed to be researching her throat with his tongue. Anya was startled by the sound and tried to come down from her perch, stepping hard on Giles' bare foot in the process. While Giles did the dance of the stubbed toe and tried not to wake the whole house Buffy headed for the basement.

"Everything all right, pet?" Spike asked, gripping the chains of his shackles and sitting up.

"Yeah. I think this may be some weird alternate universe, though," Buffy said, sitting down next to him on his cot.

"Let me guess...it's the one where Watchers get shagged, and not the one without shrimp." Spike had seen the new couple with everyone else at the meeting earlier When Giles filled them all in on the outcome of the quest.

"This is just so strange."

"Yeah, well, grownups are allowed to have lives, pet."

"It's not that he has a life or even that it's with Anya. Before last year, if one of us had someone new in their life, it was a big deal. We'd either hold a celebration or an intervention, or sometimes even both. Last year I apologized to Xander for not telling him about you and me. Today Anya and Giles walk in together and everyone, even Xander, can see they're together, and it's just ignored like we're all strangers."

"Don't worry; you lot will be fine. You just can't live in each other's figurative pockets right now 'cause you're living there literally. There are ten people living in a house built for less than half that. You're all just giving each other some breathing room the only way you can."

"Giles sure wasn't getting any breathing room from Anya." Buffy laughed a little.

Spike raised his scarred eyebrow and said, "Jealous?"

Buffy continued to smile; that sounded like the Spike she knew. "Maybe. I'm not sure I like breathing room all that much. I'm not used to having it, you know? The past few years I've had this bottle blond guy doing a pretty good job of crowding me."

"I could remind you that change is a good thing, and that we all need some room to grow."

"You want to know the weirdest thing about The World Where Watchers Get Shagged? Giles promised me earlier that he would find a way to de-trigger you. He told me that he thinks maybe you've changed and that I might need you with me."

"That's almost a ringing endorsement coming from him. Now that I've got the Watcher's blessing forget what I said about breathing room. Once I can be sure you'll be safe I'll get these chains off. Let's see how long you can hold your breath then, luv." Spike tried to sound as if he were joking but didn't quite make it.

"Yeah, well, I kind figured you were full of it. After all, how long has it been since you needed to breathe?" She smiled at him.


	5. 5

**Part 5 Charade**

As Dawn and Buffy said tearful goodbyes to the last house they had ever shared with their Mother, Spike wished silently that they would allow him to comfort them somehow. Wesley and Faith were beginning to regret not getting into Xander's car to go to the mansion, and Mop the dog was just hoping for a window seat.

Giles saw the discomfort of the group and gave Anya a play-along look. "Let me see that coin," he demanded, holding out his hand to her.

"Rupie, don't you trust me?" There was a collective eye roll at Anya's false pout.

"Not when you have that look in your eyes, I don't...and, you called me 'Rupie.' It's a dead giveaway."

"You just made that up on the spot! We haven't been together long enough for you to be able to tell something like that."

"We've done this every time we need to go somewhere." Giles indicated the coin in Anya's hand. "I've only won once, so you must be cheating somehow. Now give me the keys." Then he threatened, "We have been a couple long enough for me to know where you're ticklish, darling."

"You wouldn't dare!" Anya tossed the keys into the air and shouted, "Wes, catch!"

Wes caught the keys easily and ran for the driver's side door with them. Giles pretended a wounded look and said, "That's cheating."

"Don't worry Rupert; if neither of us is driving, then we can cuddle a little," Anya consoled him.

"Good job, keeping the waterworks at a min, Watcher," Spike said quietly as he passed Giles before getting in the van.

Giles nodded and looked at Anya, whispering his own "Thank you" to her.

Dawn said, "Giles, stop nibbling on Anya's ear. If we don't get going, the Potentials will get all the good bedrooms." Dawn wore a huge grin now and so did Buffy. If Giles could be silly then things couldn't be so bad. 

"They wouldn't dare," Buffy said, in full general mode. "I told them to wait."

"As if that matters, sister dear. Amanda wants a corner room; she told me so."

"Unless they break and enter, they'll have to wait for us. I have the key," Anya said smugly.

"All hail Anya, holder of the key!" Dawn said then sheepishly continued, "Okay, I'll shut up now. I just gave myself a flashback of one of Glory's scabby hobbits." Once they were crammed into the van, Dawn looked out into the twilight and felt like everything would be all right, like this was a family and not an army on the move. Dawn thought it could be because the van was so crowded that the passengers couldn't avoid touching the person beside them. Everyone was certain to be real. After a moment of basking in the warmth and safety, she said the one thing that needed to be said. "Are we there yet?"

Buffy poked her playfully. "I thought you were shutting up."

888

****

****

**  
**The tired group had done what they could to get settled in. They had settled in the great-room together, trying to wind down after a meal of take-out. Giles and the others had done their best to catch the newcomers up on the events in Sunnydale. "So, is anyone going to tell me why I needed to be a part of this little house party? It's not as if I was a huge asset when I was here last," Wesley said. 

"Well, people change. You seemed to be pretty good at getting the job done back there in L.A." It was debatable if Faith believed that the change was for the better; her voice gave nothing away, in spite of the words themselves.

"As I was saying," Giles continued, "Anya and I invoked a spirit guide to gain insight on defeating the First. This didn't go exactly as expected, however; the guide took corporeal form to lead us here. There is a hidden library here that I'm sure holds key information. Most of you already know this. What you don't know is that I was given a vision by the guide that night. I was given a look at many possible futures and the conclusion was that, if we are going to defeat the First at all, it will be done not just by Buffy, but by all of us together."

"That's supposed to be news, Giles? Been there, done that, sung the theme song—or did you forget about that? Like I said before, I'm here for Buffy and Willow," Xander said.

"I meant all of us in this room. Before Buffy, the Slayer was alone and considered expendable. You changed that and helped her to overcome her destiny.

Now it's time for the circle to widen further and not one of us can be lost...or we all are; Giles explained, wanting to give Xander all the credit he was due. Giles was impressed by the fact that whatever bitterness the younger man felt over losing Anya, Xander directed mostly at himself.

Amanda said, "That's scary; that means if Wesley unzips his throat, Spike slips and gets a splinter in the heart or chows down on Andrew, we all die."

"Essentially yes, some may survive but it would be at a grave cost." Giles reached for his glasses. Anya took his hand before he could take them off and clean them. "She also said, 'When a plant becomes root-bound it needs replanting. Find the vessel and so that you all may become what you already are.' The vessel may be some artifact we need to find or something else entirely. I'm not sure.

"Why do these things always have to be riddles?" Spike asked.

Buffy spoke up. "We were crowded may be the new house is us getting replanted. We've all been hearing over and over how the First can't be destroyed. So now at least we have some hope. We'll work with whoever we have to, to do it."

"Forced to be allies with those we despise. It's just like being chained to Sidney Poitier. The sexiest role Tony Curtis ever had, but definitely one of the best." Andrew half-muttered, then seemed startled when they all looked at him with varying degrees of incomprehension. "What? You think the only movie I've ever saw was 'Star Wars'? I have layers! The lair got TMC too. One time, the others were away, and I snuck into a Cary Grant marathon."

"Despise is an awfully strong word, but you keep working on it, layer-boy. You'll have everyone despising you in no time." Vi's tone was falsely reassuring.

"There is one other thing," Giles said over Andrew's sputtering. Knowing that the party its self was not what was to be kept secret he asked, "Faith, your birthday was a milestone in the vision. When will you turn 22?"

"My birthday's not for another seven months; it's July eleventh. Is there something I need to be ready for?" Faith asked.

"No not at all; actually it was only a party. I'm afraid I've ruined your surprise." Giles said truthfully. No one but Anya noticed that he'd gone pale for a moment.

888

"So spill, mister; what's so scary about Faith's birthday?" Anya asked when Giles came into their new bedroom after brushing his teeth. "You're not going to distract me with yummy kisses. Tell me the truth."

"Simply making sure you're not the First. After all, here we are in a room together with a lock and a real bed, and you want to talk about Faith."

"The sooner you talk, the sooner we use that bed."

"It's really nothing bad, I promise," Giles said, kissing her neck. "It was like a snapshot of a party. I just though it was farther in the future because— maybe this will work better if I show you. You were standing beside Faith under her birthday banner, Buffy was on her other side and I was behind you like this with my arms a—" Giles and Anya both startled and headed for the hall, as they heard the unmistakable sound of Dawn's scream.


	6. 6

Part 6 Room for a Few More

Dawn's screams had become broken sobs by the time Anya and Giles made it to her room and Buffy there with her arms around her sister. "Dawn are you hurt? What's happened?" Giles asked but when he came closer to Dawn she flinched away.

"It ok Dawn, he won't hurt you. I won't let him hurt you" Buffy said, "It was the first again Giles."

"It was Mom; she said that Giles would kill me. That my death won't matter because to him I'm not real."

Dawn was wearing red and white Mickey Mouse pajamas. Her face was blotchy from crying and even though she was obviously a young woman to Giles she looked horribly young. The prior truth to Dawns words made Giles stomach twist. What should he say or do? In spite of his love for Buffy he'd always doubted having any paternal instinct. He held out his hand and spoke softly, "Dawn, take my hand and hold on. I want you to know I'm real. I'm just as real as you are. Do you remember I said my vision was like a photograph? You were in it and you weren't fading in and out. You were standing right between Buffy and Willow."

"Really?" Dawn pleaded

"Really, I promise I will never hurt you. I'll never allow you to be hurt if I can prevent it." When he finished speaking Dawn was convinced she let go his hand and threw her arms around him.

"See, Dawnie." Buffy said sounding entirely_ big sister_ all trace of role as surrogate mother gone for the moment. "I tried to tell her that you said from now on it was 'One for all and all for one.' Giles, Just like the three mousekeeters only with more of them."

Anya was by the door watching all this and puzzling over the fact that instead of being jealous she felt unnamable warmth and a little pride. When Giles agreed that yes they were indeed the mousekeeters Anya figured it was time to break up the party. "Well, you can either let me in on the group hug or let go of Rupert. I want to have-"To Anya's surprise they took her up on the first option and she was enfolded by all three before she could finish her sentence. When they back in their room Anya wondered if she was a Scooby now or maybe they were all some new cartoon? Then Rupert put his arms around her again and they got so busy she forgot to ask.

"I'm really sorry you went through all that." Xander said after Dawn explained the events of the night before.

"You really must be you took your eyes off Faith for like a whole minute." Dawn said she was sitting between Xander and Wesley but both men were ignoring her in favor of Faith who was working with the potentials.

"I prefer to think of it as sixty seconds. I just can't believe I slept through a Dawn scream even on the other side of the house."

"It's ok Buffy was there real quick and Giles and Anya were both really nice." Dawn said then thinking that mention of the couple in such a couple-ish way might hurt Xander she quickly changed the subject. Turning to Wes she asked "Is Faith dropping her right shoulder?"

"I hadn't noticed it." Wesley said and reminded himself to observe Faith's fighting stance and not her breast. He quickly turned his attention to Xander before he was caught. "You know for some reason I though you were the one engaged to Anya not Giles."

"Yeah well, that's what happen when you leave a girl at the alter somebody smarter than you is bound to find her there."

"God, I didn't realize. What is it about Sunnydale? I come back here and become an idiot again."

"Don't worry about it. The idiot in this village is me. Its funny show me an apocalypse hand me an axe and I'm in but romance not so much." Xander said with a shrug

"Yes." Wes nodded he couldn't say anything more.

"Hey this isn't cheerleading practice you two stop ogling and come over here and help out." Faith said, breaking into their respective self pity.

"You need a punching bag?" Xander asked.

It was a good thing Faith didn't blush considering her history with both men "No they need sparing partners. You up for it? I'm sure you've pick up a lot of experience over the years." Faith was smug some things don't change Xander Harris may be a little bulkier but he was still cute when he squirmed.

Xander was reluctant to tell Faith he'd never really trained before considering the last time she volunteered to be his first time. Fortunately Wes saw his discomfort and said, "Stop shuffling Xander it's not all about form I'm sure you've picked up enough knowledge over the years to get by or you wouldn't still be here. The girls can only benefit from your help. If you want more formal training you only have to join in."

"You guys are talking about training aren't you?" Dawn asked with an arched brow.

"Yes of course we are whatever else could it be?" Wes answered, putting as much starched cotton and tweed in his voice as he could. "You should spar too Dawn. I'll observe"

"Nope, I don't think my sister wants me to learn to _spar_ yet." Dawn bussed Xander on the cheek and then patted the spot for good measure. "You Guys have fun .I promised Andrew I'd help with a grocery run anyway." She strolled away confident she'd just proven that someday soon she'd be able gain male attention for much longer than sixty seconds.

Wes turned to Xander and asked. "Was Dawn always this way?"

"I think the word you're really looking for in this case is _frightening_ that's sort of a new development."


	7. 7

Part 7 Born To Be Bad 

The library windows were covered to keep out the sun, and Spike was chained to the wall. Giles showed Spike a small wooden box lined with red silk. Inside was an unremarkable-looking stone. "The Prokaryote stone will move within your mind to reveal the root of the trigger's power. It can unleash ideas, images, memories... Hopefully, once you understand what it is that's setting you off, you can break its hold on you," Giles said.

"Hopefully? So, it might not work?" Spike asked.

"The stone's just a catalyst for the process. The rest is up to you, Spike."

"And how do expect to get that hunk of rubble into my cranium?"

Willow said, "That's where I come in." She turned to a new page in the book she was holding. "Okay. I just hope my pronunciation is in the ballpark." She began to read. "Kun'ati belek sup'sion. Bok'vata im kele'beshus. Ek'vota mor'osh boota'ke."

The stone started to move like it was alive, no longer solid, but liquid. Giles held the box up to Spike. He recoiled in disgust. "Oh, you have got to be joking! What now?"

"It has to access the cerebral cortex via the optic

nerve," Giles said

"Oh, bollocks. With all the rubbish people keep sticking in my head, it's a wonder that there's room for my brain."

"I don't think it takes up that much space, do you?" 

"Ha bloody ha, Watcher. I'm starting to wish that Anya hadn't found where you'd been hiding what passes for your sense of humor." Unnoticed, the stone had split along a tiny flaw at its heart to become two slithering entities. One stone entered Spike, the other Giles. Willow held Anya and Buffy back when the men cried out in pain. It was best just to let the stones do their work.

After a flash of light and pain, Giles found himself in a fussy, old-fashioned parlor. Well, not really in it—he couldn't seem to interact in any way; he could only observe. These were not his memories. The Prokaryote must have divided and entered him as well as Spike. That meant that he would not only have access to his own memories and subconscious, but Spike's as well. Not only that, but it would work both ways. The Watcher was intrigued by the idea, and a little afraid, more of what he might reveal to the vampire than of what he himself might see.

It took a few moments for Giles to realize that the earnest young man was William the Bloody. Not a thug turned after a drunken brawl as was reported at all. William was a gentleman and gentle in a sense that Giles couldn't remember ever being. Watching the scene play out he felt as much envy as pity. Giles had no real memory of his own mother and William's devotion to his survived even his own death. It shocked Giles to discover that while William's mother lost every shred of her humanity on becoming a vampire, this wasn't entirely true of Spike. As Giles watched William interact with Drusilla and later Angelus, he realized that nurture played a role almost as important as the vampire's demonic nature in monster he became. What did this mean now that Spike had a soul? Did it make it easier to change for the better, or more difficult?

Watching the Scourge of Europe interact, Giles realized there was something familiar about William beyond his physical resemblance to Spike. Good Lord! He reminded Giles of Randall. Randall had been a sort of pet among his crowd, a good boy who was slumming, trying to keep up with the bad boys in order to belong. Randall's parents weren't as well off as Ethan's, but it was Randall who often paid the way—when they bothered to pay at all. That was why he so readily believed that "Randy" was his son when they had lost their memories. Something in him had recognized this, even if he didn't consciously know it.

Then he saw the events of this past summer. The trials Spike went through to get his soul and the tortures afterwards. Spike's stubborn determination to be what Buffy needed impressed Giles. His vision of Spike's part in the possible future had only been accepted in the intellectual sense before seeing all this. Now he hoped for the first time that his acquaintance with Spike wouldn't have to be ended with an axe or stake.

Spike hardly had the chance to catch an unneeded breath after re-living his mother's death when he was suddenly thrust somewhere else. It looked like a slightly shabby schoolmaster's study. A cold looking man with a lantern jaw sat behind a desk in front of a bewildered boy of about ten with big green eyes behind bigger glasses. Was this one of his countless victims? He couldn't remember eating Harry Potter. Then Spike began to focus in on what was being said. It was the Watcher's version of "one girl in all the world." Oh, Harry's name was Rupert! Something must have gone wrong with the spell. Why was he not surprised? The more the elder Giles droned on the less Spike liked him. He wasn't the sort to enjoy caning a boy, Spike could spot one of those a mile off, but he just wasn't even looking at Rupert. It would have been clear to anyone looking that the boy wanted nothing to do with his destiny or the new course of study his father outlined. Spike wanted to shake the older man. He couldn't help wondering where Rupert's mum was. The boy was being plowed over. Spike had to admire the fact that even at his young age he didn't look like he was about to let it happen. However, he could tell that, without a champion in the house, there would be trouble ahead for the whole Giles family.

As long as Rupert's grades were good, dear old clueless dad let him do pretty much anything—and Rupert Giles was the kind of boy that didn't need to study to get good marks. He was taller than most his age, and he also knew an awful truth that 90 of the adults around him wouldn't admit to knowing. So Rupert was inevitably drawn to an older crowd. Even then among his chums he was the leader. He was the sort of boy William had never been; Rupert was comfortable around others. On the street he knew how to stay out of trouble, and as time went on, just where to find the trouble he wanted. By the time he got to Oxford, he had completely shed any pretense that he would fall in line with the future his father planned, and had gained the name Ripper. It was obvious to Spike that the change from Rupert to Ripper had been an evolution and not a reinvention. It was the step over the line from self-confidence into arrogance, and the part of Spike un-tempered by the soul admired the smooth transition.

Spike also saw glimpses of things for the man as well as the demon in him to admire: his protectiveness of others, his love of music and books. He recognized a loneliness in him that hurt his reacquired soul. Rupert Giles was a boy without a mother whose father's love was absent-minded at best and conditional at worst. Ripper was a young man forced to kill his own friend. He took on an unwanted destiny as penance and a Watcher's demeanor as armor. The Giles that Spike knew was neither of these any longer yet he was still both. Just as Spike was no longer William the beloved son and bloody awful poet, or the soulless monster that that he'd both fashioned and been made into, but both still lived in him.

When Spike came to, he was exhausted, shaking, and positive that his will was his own again. He also discovered that Buffy had her arms around him. The only down side to the whole ordeal seemed to be the hangover-like headache, and the embarrassment over the intimacy of the experience he had shared with the other man. Spike grimaced at his mental word choice, but he couldn't think of anything more accurate. It didn't matter all that much; he didn't think it was possible to die of embarrassment. Then he remembered his turning and amended that thought. Not twice anyway.

When Giles woke up, it was with a sense of wholeness, as if some hairline crack within him had been mended when the stone spilt in two. He also had a new appreciation of Spike, the mother of all hangovers, and a profound sense of embarrassment.

"Are you feeling better now, Rupert?" Anya asked.

"Yes, the headache's almost gone now." Giles was lying in bed with Mop at his feet. Instead of getting up he pulled Anya into bed with them.

"Well, no more putting rocks in your head or anyone else's. Hearing you scream like that was frightening."

"A little cuddle and some more rest, and I'll be ready to make it up to you. I was more startled than anything else," Giles said. At Anya's incredulous look he amended, "I think it was for the best, anyway. The Prokaryote stone helped me face some things. I think I'll be able to deal better with what's to come now."

Anya asked, "The future you were shown on the vision quest? You never did finish telling me about that."

"I didn't?" 

"You told me before that the vision of Faith's birthday wasn't bad. So why do you have that look?"

"What look?" Giles attempted to look innocent.

"The look you get when you need me to fix an over-ring on the register."

"You only had to do that one—a few times, and I told you it wasn't bad!" Giles said indignantly.

"If it's not bad, why are you trying to put off telling me? At this rate we'll be grandparents before I know."

"Funny that you put it that way..." There was a knock at the door that kept him from finishing what he'd been about to say.


	8. 8

Part 8 Bringing Up Baby

Vi was standing outside the bedroom door, looking uncomfortable, when Giles opened the door. "Hi, sorry to disturb you, but we were all getting a little worried about how you were doing. Well, everyone but Buffy and Spike. Not that they aren't worried, but we don't know if they are or not, because they're in Buffy's room and haven't come out yet either, so there's no way to tell, but I'm sure Buffy's just as worried about you as she is about Spike. Right? You're her Watcher," she said. Giles was trying to find the question that he needed to answer hidden in the babble, but before he could, the girl added more. "Buffy would probably be right here but you have Anya to take care of you, but Spike doesn't. Not that Buffy is taking care of Spike the way that Anya is. Taking care of you, I mean..." Vi wound down like a bright red top.  
  
"I'm doing much better. As a matter of fact, I was about to see if we could find something to eat," Giles reassured her.  
  
Anya said brightly from Giles' side, "Yes, there's no need to be embarrassed. We weren't having sex yet."  
  
Vi turned an even brighter shade than before. "Guess I'll just go back to the game-room and let everyone know you're okay." Then she raced back the way she'd  
come.  
  
"Was that really necessary, Anya?"  
  
"Yes it was, dear. I'm fairly certain that if I hadn't said something like that, Vi would have been terribly disappointed."  
  
"You're probably right, darling," Giles laughed.  
  
Anya said, "Of course I am. What I'd like to know is, did they drew straws, or did she volunteer to come up here?"  
  
Giles blinked hard when they walked into the kitchen. Like the bathrooms, it was bright white with chrome fixtures, leaving no place for a speck of dirt or a germ to hide. Anya planned to remodel; everyone had already agreed to join the painting party, post-apocalypse. It wasn't that they didn't like a clean kitchen, but you very nearly needed dark glasses for this one. Buffy was seated at the island drinking coffee, and Spike was waiting for his blood to warm in the microwave.  
  
Spike spoke first, even though he was clearly uncomfortable. "Hello Anya, Watcher. Head feeling better?"  
  
"Good afternoon; I'm fine. How do you feel, Spike?" Giles said stiffly.  
  
"Nice weather we're having," Anya said in very stuffy British voice that she actually did fairly well.  
  
"It's been terribly warm for this time of year. One does usually need one's overcoat this close to the apocalypse," Buffy said in a horrible imitation of the same.  
  
"Yes, quite," Anya said, then continued in her normal voice. "You need to clip your vowels more, Buffy."  
  
"When did the two of you join forces? You didn't end up in each others' heads, too?" Spike asked, looking as alarmed as Giles did.  
  
"Nope, we just decided to be friends," Buffy said with a wicked smile. It hadn't been that simple or quick for either woman. It started unnoticed by anyone else the night a few weeks ago, when Dawn was visited by the First. Buffy realized that night that she wouldn't make her life easier by isolating herself. Once she decided this, some of Anya's annoying traits became the reasons why she could be a good friend. Anya's view had been more practical. She told Buffy she hadn't been able to budge Xander away from the Scoobies, and she wasn't even going to try with Giles. Anya planned to be right in the middle of it all, because that's where Giles was.  
  
"Female solidarity is a vastly underused asset," Anya said. "By the way, I could use your help, Buffy. Giles has promised to tell me more about the vision of Faith's birthday, and he keeps avoiding it."  
  
"The guide said to let the future unfold naturally. I started out waiting for you to tell me the news then we just kept getting interrupted. You haven't seemed ill but you must suspect by now." Giles put a warm hand on Anya's tummy.

"You know? You saw our child in the vision?" Anya asked with a watery smile.  
  
When Anya said the words "our child," it was like she had incanted a spell. Giles repeated the words as if to test their magic. Buffy and Spike looked at one another silently, agreeing they should slip out of the room and leave the expectant couple alone. Giles came out of his reverie at the sound of the door softly shutting and said "No—just a fairly obvious bump."  
  
The last thing Buffy & Spike heard was Anya saying"Here I was worried about telling you and you already knew. Just how obvious and why didn't you tell me right away?"

When Anya and Giles had gone back to bed after sharing their news, the others gathered on the porch. Xander and Willow sat on the wide steps with Buffy. Spike leaned against a nearby column, and Dawn sat out in the grass. "I'm really proud of you, Xander." Willow  
hugged her friend.  
  
"Why, because I didn't point out that this has got to win a prize for worst timed child ever, or say something bitter about how old Giles will be if he lives long enough for the kid to go to high school? I didn't have the heart. Like I said, I owe it to Anya to see that her family's safe. That doesn't mean I'm ready to play Uncle Xander."  
  
"Not going to do something foolish, are you?" Spike said, surprising even himself with his concern. He muttered something about his soul.  
  
"You just don't want to lose the closet in case you screw up and Buffy tosses you out of bed." Buffy and Spike both denied sharing a bed at the same time. "Yeah, but you will. I'd be able to see that it meant to happen, even if Willow willed me blind," Xander said.  
  
"You're okay with it, after what you told me he did?" Dawn ground up her words and spit them out at Xander and everyone else.  
  
Spike straightened up and Buffy took a deep breath and started to stand. Xander put his hand on Buffy's shoulder to stop her and answered Dawn. "I'm not joining in on the rousing chorus of 'He's Got a Soul Now,' but your sister doesn't have battered woman's syndrome, and she's an adult, not to mention a Slayer. What she does is her business." Xander turned to Buffy. "Besides, if things go crazy again, I want to be supportive-friend-guy, not the one you're afraid to go to because he'll say 'I told you so.'"


	9. 9

**A/N I've never gotten more than 10 reviews for a story posted here . So I'd like to try something to encourage the feedback. I'll write a drabble for every tenth reviewer.**

Part 9 Every Girl Should Be Married.

Spike rose from his seat and stretched. "Giles, I'd like to speak with you privately."

Giles was about to ask if it could wait until morning but formality of Spike's speech stopped him. Whatever he wanted to talk about it was serious. Once they were alone in the study he asked Spike what he felt was the obvious question. "Are you worried that the trigger is still in effect?"

"Course not; I'm in my right mind. Question is are you?"

"I don't understand."

"Look Watcher I know it's not my place to say but Anya's a decent sort..." Spike began pacing.

"What is it Spike? Giles was beginning to get alarmed, "Has Anya said something to you about not being happy?"

"No but then she wouldn't not after what happen before would she? Anya chose to be human this time around and the human conventions mean something to her."

"Spike the sun is coming up surely you're tired too. Just tell me what's wrong in plain English."

Spike stood with his arms crossed and demanded "Very well, when's the wedding?" Giles laughed and kept laughing until he had to wipe tears from his eyes. "Are you done yet Watcher? I'd like an answer."

"Don't look at me that way. I'm not a complete idiot I have thought of asking."

"Well why haven't you?"

"Because she I didn't want to rush her."

"I should have guessed. Your relationship has been so cautious and tentative so far." Spike said sarcastically then sighed and continued. Look its not like I'm suggesting you do something you don't want to do."

"She's the one I'll love for rest of my life a wedding would just be a formality but perhaps she wont even want to go though something like that again."

"In other words you're too chicken to ask."

"Exactly." He agreed then gave Spike a sharp look. "but I'm not the only one here shaking in my boots am I?"

"You giving Buffy and I your blessing dad?" Even as bleary eyed as he was Giles could tell that the look in Spike's eyes didn't match the look in his eyes.

"I'm much too tired to be held accountable for anything I say right now. I'm going to bed I suggest you do the same. Its possible we'll be going to Vegas latter, I imagine you'll want to be well rested to hold the shotgun."

"Alright but I don't care what Anya says I'm not putting a ponce-y white bow on the stock."

Giles smiled heading to his room marveling at the strange turn his life had taken. When he crawled into bed careful not to wake Anya, he wasn't sure if it was his imagination that made it sound as if she murmured 'I do' or not but god help him. He just might be taking Spike's advice.

Two days later Anya looked at the breakfast tray Giles arranged with care including the little blue box and casino flyer. "Rupert, is this I think it is?"

"If you think it's a proposal then yes, it is." Giles agreed nervously.

"Ok just so we're clear, you want me to go with you to Vegas? A place built on desert where only Casabee demons can live comfortably without air conditioning, A city were people routinely throw away their hard earned money." Anya shuttered. "Just so we can be married by an official that looks like a deceased rock star while I hold a bunch of plastic daisies."

"I was hopping for something a bit less tacky but you're right. You deserve a real wedding we can wait." Giles cursed himself that's what he got for listening to Spike. He agreed with Anya it was a stupid idea, so why was he disappointed?

"I didn't say that. Do you really want to do this?"

"I would have asked if I didn't. "He said simply.

The brilliant smile he had been waiting for spread across her face. "I'd like it if Buffy and Spike came along. Do you think we can get them tickets too?"

"Already done darling, Spike's volunteered to hold the shotgun."

Anya was standing in front of a three way mirror the next day about to tell Buffy she wanted to be married in a pair jogging pants and one of Rupert's t-shirts. They had been to three shops and Anya had tried on a dozen dresses already. "Buffy I like this dress. It fits perfect."

"You should love it not just like it I think maybe it's too long." Buffy said eying the dress critically.

"You said the last one was too short."

"I want it too be just right. It needs to be perfect for you and Giles." Buffy said holding back tears.

Anya sat on the bench and sighed. "I'm really glad you care Buffy it was fun before I became exhausted but the dress doesn't need to be perfect. Look not Goldie Locks anymore." Anya joked, running her hands though her short chestnut hair. This didn't make Buffy smile or laugh as she hoped instead the slayer burst into tears.

"I'm sorry I don't know what's wrong with me." Buffy sniffled Anya handed her a tissue and had put an arm around her shoulder. It was surprisingly comforting to Buffy.

"It's ok it's just Thanksgiving Syndrome." Anya stated with certainty.

"Huh?"

"You want everything to be 'perfect and normal' for your friends. You get this way on the big occasions. I'm the same way sometimes, I understand. I also think our blood sugar could be low, let's get some ice-cream." Anya made a mental note to speak to Giles about this someday soon. Buffy deserved some 'normal' of her own, she shouldn't have to live through others, and there had to be a way to help her get it.

"Wow." Anya has mom like powers already, Buffy thought, only a little wigged.

"What?" Anya asked startled from her thoughts by the now grinning Buffy.

"Nothing, let's go get some frozen goodness. You know I think that first dress was the best one after all."

"So, you and Spike?" Anya asked between mouthfuls of chunky monkey. "Any progress, or is it none of my business?"

Buffy marveled for a moment over how different her relationship with Anya had become. "I'm not sure, I think we're making progress. We're getting to be friends, taking it slow. We've stopped flinching when we touch that's good right?" Anya nodded and motioned for Buffy to continue. "Sometimes I think we've ground to a halt. He's still so shy of me sometimes. I feel like Buffy the Vampire Whisperer."

"So you trust him again but he doesn't trust you." Anya tried to clarify.

"I don't know maybe it's that we don't trust **us** yet."

"Have you tried the obvious?"

"What obvious Anya? I don't think jumping him would go over well."

"Why not just tell Spike you love him?"

"Maybe when the First has been stopped." Anya sighed but didn't pursue it further. Buffy changed the subject. "I can't wait to see the guys in suits. I had the funniest dream last night, Elvis was performing the wedding. You were in sweats and so was I. Giles and Spike were wearing matching pink bathrobes and bunny slippers!"

"Oh no! It wasn't some strange Slayer dream was it? You poor thing no wonder you've been obsessive about the dress. Finish up and let's go."

"Are you sure you want to go to dinner with us?" Spike asked not expecting the newlyweds to hear him. They weren't really in the lift they were off on some fluffy pink cloud together. "You can skip dinner, go back to your room and rip the formal wear off one another. Slayer and I won't mind."

"Speak for yourself I worked hard finding that dress! Giles can't stick to ripping the underwear." Buffy protested. "Oh God, where's a Hellmouth to swallow you up when you need one." Buffy muttered and turned a shade of pink that went nicely with her lavender and plumb colored dress. She looked around obviously grateful that no one else was in the elevator.

Giles blinked and still smiling said, "That reminds me Buffy, I'm truly pleased you and Anya have become such good friends."

Spike laughed but was saved from saying something that would earn vengeance by when the lift stopped. Looking up at the red and black banner over the restaurant entrance stating _Welcome Vampire Lovers! _set him off again. "I thought this was supposed to be your day Watcher I'm touched."

"It can't be for real can it?" Anya asked.

Buffy sighed "It wouldn't be the first time, Spike and I will have to check it out."

The hostess arrived then and Giles asked what the banner was all about. "They're a club of some kind. Don't worry they have a private room your table is nowhere near it."

"Do you think they'd mind if Spike and I stopped in to see what they're all about? We might like to join." Buffy said.

"They tried to give me a flyer so I don't think it'll be a problem."

Spike didn't know what the Slayer planned to do on the off chance that these crazy people were for real. Of course he remembered the sick little fans who wanted to be turned but he didn't think those kinds would be meeting like this. He pictured an AA type meeting, Buffy shyly standing up and saying, _Hi I'm Buffy and I'm a Vampire lover I haven't shagged one in a year._ The thought that they were nothing more than a bad habit hurt. He shook off his mood and tried to focus on the world around him. They had entered the dinning room and Buffy had introduced herself to the club president. "So, you're writers?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, fanfiction mostly about T.V. shows _Dark Shadows, Forever Night _and some of the more popular books. It sounds ridiculous to most people but it's a great outlet for creativity and draws some really wonderful people. We may not like to admit it but we're pretty normal." There were about twenty five people all but two were women. They did seem normal heartbeats all around and no convenient scarves. In fact the necklines were pretty low. The only thing that made Spike think twice was that some of these women were eying him like he was the happy meal.

"Sorry I don't get to watch much Television" Buffy said

"_Dark Shadows_ was brilliant but they really buggered up the ending of _Forever Night_, got me mad even though Nick reminded me of a relative." Spike said. This bird seemed alright he'd see about looking up their website. Try his hand at prose; he did have an insight on vampires who seek redemption.

"It was nice meeting you Eliza." Buffy tugged a little harder than she actually needed to on Spike's hand. "We need to get going our friends are waiting."

Once Anya and Giles were assured that everything was fine anything remotely Slayer related was banned from conversation. It was surprising to everyone how much they had to talk about that wasn't business. Though allowances had to be made for the love-struck newlyweds they were enjoyable to be around. It was like sitting in the sun with out that unpleasant burning. Spike could tell that Buffy felt the same way, she was all lit up inside.

On the way back to their rooms they passed a lounge. It was "Classic Vegas" week at the hotel. The couples inside had just finished dancing to a Sinatra tune and Anya wanted to have a "first dance". Spike thought the song that played next couldn't have been more fitting for this couple.

Then Buffy held her hand to him and said. "Come on I know you want to dance."

"How can I refuse when they're playing our song?"

"Ours huh, it sound familiar what's our song called?" Buffy asked as they joined Anya and Giles on the dance floor.

"Night and Day, What else could it be?"


	10. 10

Part 10 Once Upon a Time

Giles was very proud of how hard they were all working. Well most of them were working hard. Buffy had been injured the night before on patrol. Slayer healing had taken care of the worst of it but Spike had convinced her to take the night off. She was in a corner with the vampire 'reviewing the research troops'. Buffy had her eyes closed and she was resting against Spike's shoulder so it was debatable how much reviewing was getting done. Giles couldn't complain though. Buffy deserved the rest and she wasn't the only one. Giles touched his sleeping wife on the shoulder "Darling I think you should go on to bed." then continued in a gentle voice, "You're drooling on the text dear."

Anya groaned, sat up scrubbed the sleep from her face, "I'm not going to bed without you. You're not staying up until three in the morning again Rupert. I want figure this out as much as you but working yourself past exhaustion wont help."

Willow pointed out the clock on the wall and laughing a little said, "Um, Anya I don't want to but in here, but it's only eight thirty." She was surprised to see Anya blush and it softened her tone. "You're sleeping for two right so not so early after all."

"Giles over here." Wesley called to the other Watcher.

"Have you found a reference to the vessel?" Giles asked.

"No, I think I've discovered why this place is such a safe haven; the Mayor meant it to be exactly that. He built this house at the turn of the last century for his wife. He describes her as a good woman. She refused to join him in quest for immortality but he was obsessed with keeping her safe." Wes looked up from his text an intense look in his eye. "He made a place for her on hallowed ground that would remain unsoiled and free from evil even the source of evil itself. He knew that the bargains he made left her open to attack."  
  
"Is he talking about the First?" Willow asked Wesley, "The uber-disinvite must have worn off because Dawn saw the First here."

"I don't think so Willow. You would have had a lot more trouble here by now if the blessing had been corrupted. Sunnydale is practically a ghost town even most of the demons have left.

"It could be the First was able to override the wards in Dawn's case somehow. You know, wangle an invite from her." said Willow.

"Dawn, didn't you tell me the First said something about, thanking you and your sister's friends for the invitation?" Giles asked the intense look in his eye proof that he felt he was on to something.

"I didn't do any summoning. Honest.

"I didn't say you had, Dawn. The First isn't a vampire it doesn't need an explicit invitation to enter a home. It doesn't need to be summoned here this dimension is its home. It's kept in check by the forces of good and the natural balance of the universe." Giles paced as he spoke and stopped short as what he had been pondering fell into place. "The Slayer is the force for good. When dark magics were used to bring her back. This balance was upset and the First has taken advantage of it."

Willow said, "So this is all my fault. That still doesn't explain Dawn's visit."

"I know what happened. I did want to see it, not the First but mom. I really wanted to see her again. I kind of, well sort of, believed it was really her that first time." Dawn's eyes were huge and tearful "I don't now, not anymore."

Buffy said, "It's ok Dawn. We know you don't." Then she said to everyone, "This is good right? If we know why things are screwed up we can fix it. Maybe use something like the blessing thingie that's on the house?"

Giles said, "It would have to be greatly modified and I'm not sure it would work but if it could it be an invaluable tool."

"What? Are you thinking if we all join hands sing com by yah sp? the First is just gonna say oops sorry, take it's playmates and go home. What's done can't be undone." Spike looked at Buffy, "No matter how much you may want it."

"But you can change what you will do. Start over, like the coven was teaching me to do." Willow said, embarrassed by her own earnestness.

"Willow's right. This can't be your average blessing either. Don't forget we're talking about something that's kept us safe here. You've been on patrol with Buffy. You know how bad it's gotten, Spike." Anya said, wide awake now. "Personally if it will help I'm all for the camp songs. It's not like we haven't had practice."

"I don't think we'll need to sing anything but there might be some chanting." Wesley said, a little confused at the groans and laughter. Did they have some like Lorne here in Sunnydale? He would have to ask later.

"Ah here's the ritual that was used." Giles said.

"That can't be right. That's just a run of the mill warding ritual. It only involves a little more power than your average." Anya said squinting to look over at the book the Watchers were sharing. "What do the pictographs on the bowl used to hold the wine and herbs mean?"

Giles took a closer look at the drawing and the inscription below it and breathed a dear lord.

Wesley's own gasp confirmed that he recognized the legendary inscribed bowl too. "I always believed it to a fairy tale. There's never been actual proof that it existed."

"Oral histories are more reliable than we might like to think. It would explain the 'kick' the protection spell has. That kind of magic would stay with the object." Giles said.

Spike said, "Don't tell me the giant snake owned the _Holy Grail_."

"No this predates the Grail. This appears to be the _Vessel of the Chosen_ it was used to create the line of the Slayer. The vessel we need to find is literal after all. It shows the seven sisters who demanded that they be allowed to go into the wilderness in search of the power to destroy the monsters that were killing so many in their village. The gods of the caverns had promised that whoever was brave enough to pass their trials would receive a reward. Their parents allowed them to go but their father and four elders went with them to watch and instruct the girls. Even knowing that the watchers would be with her daughters the mother worried so she and the father worked magic. They made a scrying bowl so she could see their daughters. When the seven proved their bravery they were rewarded with great strength. Even the watchers were given more wisdom."

"The women defeated many of the monsters but they weren't immortal and as time went on they died. Some died in battle others from sickness or childbirth." This made Giles pause and give Anya's hand a squeeze. "There were still monsters because there will always be monsters but no one worthy wanted to be a slayer. So right before the last sister died the father took the girl's power and put it into the vessel her mother had made and gave it to the Watchers. From that time on there was only one girl in all the world." Giles felt guilt press down on him when he thought of how that girl had been chosen. Willow raising Buffy was just the thing that tipped the scales. The Slayer line has been rotten at the root for ages.

"Rupert honey, I know what we need to do! It's the numbers. The numbers are exactly right. That's why you needed to get Faith and Wesley Now all we need is to find that vessel."

Before Giles could say a word Willow said excitedly, "Hey I know where you're going with this. If you're right we won't just be shooing out the big bad we'll be inviting in the opposite. That works because you know voids aren't really good. But we've done this before and I really didn't love the nightmares."

Now Giles understood what they were proposing, "Anya my darling you are a genius. When we invoked the first Slayer we were speaking of the One Alone. If we were to properly prepare and invoke the source of the source so to speak I think we'd find a far less resentful spirit. It will be a new beginning for the Slayer line."

"You're thinking of invoking the seven sisters?" Buffy asked, she could see Giles was about to defend the theory and she shook her head to stop him. "I like this... we wouldn't be stuffing power into one unwilling girl. We'd be spreading it around back the way it was supposed to be. See we messed up but we weren't the only ones. We were just the last straw."

"This isn't something that can be done lightly. All our lives will be changed by this in ways we can't foresee. That is if we can find the vessel. At his wife's request Wilkins donated to the monastery that runs the vineyard. He made a note of it in the margin. Who knows if its still there."

"Oh it's there alright." Spike said grimly. "Or it was."

"Spike's right. That's where we followed those bringers last night. I was hurt right near there."


	11. 11

Aren't You Grateful it's Not a Bunny?

Part 12

Merrily We Go to Hell

"This is fun it's been a long time since I've been on a bike." Buffy said into Spike ear as they sped toward the vineyard.

"Not your first time then?"

"Nope I can even drive this. Should we flip for the keys on the way back like Anya and Giles?" Buffy asked sounding incredibly carefree for pre-apocalyptic slayer.

"I thought Buffy and vehicles weren't 'mix-y'?"

"Buffy and cars aren't mix-y, this isn't a car."

"So how'd you become a biker chick?" Spike joked.

"Long story, LA, first bad boy, first high school destroyed." Buffy gave in to temptation and kissed Spike's neck. "Jealous? I promise I destroy another high school, it'll be with you." At that moment Spike saw woman directly in bike's path. He reacted instinctively swerved. His only thought after Buffy's safety was to hope he missed hitting any ill place branches. He yelled for Buffy to jump but was sliding sideways before he had the chance to do so himself. The next thing he knew Buffy was gazing at him with the now familiar concern.

"Spike, baby, are you ok? Thank God that pile of hay was there."

"This is hay? Feels like a pincushion." Spike spit some of the offending straw from his mouth. "Don't think anything broken, mostly just a road rash. Is my head bleeding?"

Buffy ran her hand tenderly over Spikes head. "I don't think so. Why, does it hurt?"

"I must have a concussion. I'm hearing things thought you just called me baby." Spike said with a grimaced laugh.

"I sounded silly didn't I? I'm not good with endearments like you. You're like the master of the pet name, maybe I just need to find the perfect one just for you. You've kind of taken them all though."

"You're the one that hit your head then."

"Nope, I landed on the grass, rolled just right. There isn't a scratch on me." Then she asked, "William, how well can you see me?"

"Um pretty well, I just wanted to make sure you weren't hurt where I couldn't see."

"Good I don't want to do this the easy way; hiding in the dark. I want you to see it on my face just the way I've always seen it on yours. I know we we're taking it slow but I've got to say it. I love you."

A part of Spike wanted to ask why now? Wanted to know why his dreams were coming true. Most of his parts were all for shutting up and enjoying it. They kissed with all the passion that was in their first kiss and with all the tenderness and love that they'd been slowly letting themselves feel again. The fact that they we're on a mission, that they were out in the open lying on a pile of hay that was abusing already tender flesh faded away in the background. The lovers only came to their senses when a soft rain began to fall.

"I guess somebody up there is telling us to get back to work. I didn't notice the clouds roll in." Buffy sighed. "At least the weather waited until we were done."

"Just one time and you think we're done? You sure you didn't hit your head pet?"

"We'll call it an intermission for the mission." Buffy said. "Now annoy me or something. If we're grinning like fools when we get to vineyard it'll ruin our image." In spite of this there was much laughter as they righted clothing and tried to brush damp hay away. They decided that leaving the bike and walking the short distance left to the vineyard would be a good idea.

" Shadow Valley Vineyard - what a reassuring name. Like Sleepy Hollow or Sunnydale."

"I don't know I kind of like it. I've got my rod and my staff to comfort me after all." Buffy said swinging her stake like a Billy club."

"I take it you're in the mood to be 'bad cop' in this little confrontation love?"

"I suck at undercover. Can't we sneak in and take the bowl thingy?" Buffy said knocking loudly on the door and carrying out the original plan anyway.

The door swung open. A man in a clerical collar stood there and looked at them coldly. "We ain't open to visitors this time of night. Y'all will have to return in the mawnin'."

He tried to slam the door in their faces but Spike stuck out his hand and stopped it. The hairs on the back of the vampire's neck were standing on end. There was something odd about this priest, an emptiness in his eyes unnatural for a normal human, and Spike could detect a faint smell of blood.

"We had a little problem with our bike, need to call for a ride." Buffy improvised. She could tell by the tension in Spike's shoulders that he had sensed something wrong.

"There's a pay phone just down the road. We don't believe in modern conveniences, they distract us from our work."

"Your work making wine? That what's on your hands?" Spike said, looking at the man's knuckles. They were stained with red, thin smears extending down his fingers, and Spike didn't think it was wine at all. He sniffed. Nope, definitely not wine.

"None of your business." The priest began to shove the door closed; Spike resisted, but to his astonishment found himself driven backwards.

Buffy saw his eyes widen, saw his feet sliding backwards, and she kicked the door hard. The man was knocked aside and the door flew wide open. She could see into the dim cellar beyond and movement caught her eye. Harbingers. She leaped forward, past the phoney priest, and ran into the cellar. A hooded monk, a real one, was tied to a chair on the far side of the room. Three 'bringers surrounded him. Others lurked in the shadows between stacks of wine barrels.

Spike dodged past the other side of the priest and followed Buffy. A 'bringer jumped to meet him with a wicked curved knife raised to stab; Spike met it with a left jab, stopping it in its tracks and sending it crashing to the floor. Another one came forward more cautiously to take its place.

Buffy sized up the situation. Seven Harbingers and the man with the clerical collar. "Who are you, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?" She caught the arm of an attacking 'bringer, twisted its knife out of its hand, and used it to stab another charging 'bringer in the chest. "Make that six dwarfs."

"Do not mock me, harlot," the man scolded. "For I am Caleb and I bring purification. You are just a dirty girl and must be punished for your insolence and your sins." He stepped forward and swung a punch at Buffy.

She swung her captive 'bringer into the path of the blow. Caleb hit it in the head and it collapsed limp in her arms, its neck broken.

"Five dwarfs," Buffy exclaimed triumphantly. She was shocked by the force of Caleb's punch but wasn't going to let him see that.

"Four," Spike chimed in, breaking the neck of a 'bringer and taking its dagger. The one he'd dropped with his first punch picked itself up from the floor and came at him again, and he emulated Buffy by planting his newly-acquired dagger in its chest. "Three. I've caught you up, Buffy. No, passed you, that second one of yours was an own goal by that Caleb git."

"No fair. I caught it, it was my kill," Buffy pouted. "We're tied." She drew a sword out from under her jacket and whirled around, extending the weapon in a lunge that caught an approaching 'bringer in the throat. "Now I'm back in the lead."

Spike ducked under a slash from a Harbinger's knife, came up inside its guard, and stabbed it in the neck. "Level again. How do these buggers see without eyes, anyway?"

Caleb had made his way to Spike as he fought the 'bringer. He lashed out powerfully as Spike was engaged with the eyeless creature and caught the vampire solidly in the face. Spike was thrown through the air, collided with a wine barrel, and bounced off to fall to the ground. He let go of the knife and it skidded away across the floor.

"Y'all weren't supposed to make it past the highway. How lucky for me. I get to kill you myself." Caleb strode to where Spike lay and stared down at him.

"Wouldn't count on that, padre," Spike spat defiantly, crawling after the knife. "You've just run out of your Stevie Wonder impersonators." Buffy was running the final 'bringer through as he spoke.

"They're nothing. Tools. Like you. You're worse than Samson, William, any real strength you ever had was cut off long ago."

"Still took out three of your blind mice, though, didn't I?" Spike pointed out. His fingers touched the dagger. He snatched it up and drove it down into Caleb's foot, piercing all the way through and driving the blade into the wooden floor, and then rolled out of the way of the priest's retaliatory punch.

Caleb didn't even seem to register any pain. "My unfortunate friends were mice; hardly threatening at all, while I am the serpent." He took one step after Spike but was brought up short by the knife pinning his foot to the floor. He hissed in annoyance and bent down to pull free the knife.

"Lucky me," Buffy said from behind him. Her sword whistled down in a shining arc and separated his head from his shoulders. "I know just what to do with snakes. For the record," she said to the rolling head, "no one calls him William any more but me."


	12. 12

Part 12

Only Angels Have Wings

Giles checked his watch for the third time. He began to get up to look out the window but his wife held him back with an annoyed look. They were alone with Mop in the gold room, a small study with golden-yellow walls. There were two over-sized chairs facing a fireplace where Anya had lit a group of candles. They were sharing one chair with the dog at their feet eying the empty chair enviously now and then. It was an idyllic picture to anyone looking in from the outside it would seem to be painted with light. "The sun still hasn't finished setting yet." Giles complained.

"Sorry Darling, I can't do anything to speed up time. Even when I had my powers I couldn't do that. I thought Watchers were supposed to be patient? Buffy and Spike are just took a little too long finding the vessel. They're somewhere passing time until sunset. If Buffy's smart she's finally convinced Spike to have sex. " Anya placed Giles hand on her belly. "So calm down I think you're even making the baby jumpy. My tummy's all fluttery tonight."

"I skimmed over the part on patients in the handbook. I am usually better in a crisis but I've never had this much to loose before. We've done all the research we can and I've even seen how it will end." He didn't voice his fears he just grabbed hold of Anya's hand. "Why did Buffy have to leave her phone on the charger tonight?" Giles kissed her palm and apologized. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't be laying this on you."

"Well, I'm shocked Rupert Giles 'skimming' two very important handbooks." Anya teased.

"Two?"

"Yes two, you overlook the whole chapter in the spousal handbook about sharing worries and burdens. We're supposed to lean on each other, it's a marital privilege." Anya said.

"A privilege; like making love?"

"Exactly, only for the next few months I'd recommend you keep the leaning on me figurative. My center of balance is off and I'm already hauling around one member of the family."

"Have I said how much I adore the way you think?" Giles asked.

"Not today. You did bring up how I taste and the way I smell though, that was very nice." Anya squirmed a little and groaned. "I hate to ruin the moment but I've been sitting to long and need to get up."

"I was just about to suggest that I pass the time giving you a backrub." He said as they rose.

"I love the way you think too Rupert." The backrub led to the rubbing of other body parts with certain other parts and Anya was very pleased at how long she was able to keep Giles occupied. They dozed off for a while and had to dress hastily before going downstairs when Buffy and Spike arrived.

"It's about time the two of you got back." Anya said before the travelers had a chance to even say hello. "Are you ok? I was really worried. It's not good to make a pregnant woman worried. Next time remember your stupid cell phone."

"Um, sorry?" Buffy said unsure if the rant was over. "We got the Vessel." Buffy handed Anya the simple looking wooden bowl. She felt like a grimy child offering somebody a bouquet dandelions and daisies. Looking at the condition of her clothes it wasn't far from the truth. "I think it would be a good idea to get a shower."

"We ran into a little trouble." Spike said.

"And a big pile of hay or maybe it was straw. I can never remember the difference." Buffy put in. 

Spike said, "Fancy booze and dead clerics, it felt like the bad old days all over again. The one that was left alive only lasted long enough to tell us where the Tupperware was hid."

"There was a guy dressed as a priest. It was the whole Ben is Glory thing all over again but I think this guy signed the lease with the First. I don't think there was much left of him I'd call human when I killed him." A shiver went though Buffy as she remembered how cold and cruel Caleb's eyes were. Spike saw this and put his arm around her.

"He could have been the one who was used to destroy council headquarters." Giles said. "This may give us more time to get the ritual done or it could mean the First will redouble its efforts."

Andrew shrieked, startled at the sudden ring of the doorbell and Anya moved to answer it.

"Don't get up Anya; I'm closer to the door I'll get it." Buffy said wondering half seriously if it was the First. After all, everyone else she knew was in the house already. When she opened the door she saw two familiar figures. One of them badly beaten. "Oh my God, Clem come on in! What happened to you?" Clem was holding a rag to his ear the cloth was soaked in eerily human looking blood.

"It's not as bad as it looks. Ear wounds bleed terrible." Clem answered flashing a strained smile.

"William, get some bandages. It's Clem he's hurt." Buffy called out. Using the name she'd been calling Spike all night, this time without thought.

"It was one of those uglies that have been coming out of the Hellmouth." Clem continued to explain as he hobbled in. More than just his ear was obviously hurt. "Didn't fight with me or I'd be grease spot on the road. It just swatted me aside like a bug. I heard something though, something bad you need to know. My car broke down so I flagged down this guy for a ride."

"Buffy?" The second visitor asked. Buffy wasn't certain from the look on his face if he wanted to be invited in or if he just wasn't sure who she was. And he was doing that thing with his nose that made her want to check to see if her deodorant was really strong enough for Slayer.

"Oh, sorry about that, it's not really my house." She knew she could've invited him in because she lives here but it just didn't feel right. "I'll go get Giles um it's great to see you Angel." Buffy turned and tried not to run. If poop-head Parker ever shows up, she swears to herself, it'll probably be after a bad hair cut and a fight with skunk demons in the sewers.

Giles showed up at the door with Anya at his side. The invitation was issued flatly. The warning that went with it was unspoken but Angel heard it loud and clear regardless.

Seeing the expectant parents Angel wondered once more if he was still in the right dimension. He had started down the rabbit hole when Clem got in his car. The wounded demon had recognized his scent as related to Spike. Clem had chatter nervously the whole way catching him up on all the 'family' gossip. Even if Angel hadn't been overwhelmed by it all he would have had a chance to respond to any of it. Clem talked more than even Lorne did.

Everyone was gathered in the great room. There was coffee but no doughnuts. Even before Clem and Angel showed up everyone in the Giles house knew that it was time to get to business. Buffy didn't need to make a speech, Giles didn't have to utter a plea to God, and even Andrew was grave.

"We got trouble, you guys Torock Hanns are just the start and the stuff that will come after them will make the uber-vamps look like Gieko mascot. The Hellmouth needs to be destroyed now and for good. My sources say that the First has had big money backing it since big money meant clam shells and kitten skins." Clem took a sip of coffee with shaking flippers. "See, before now the 'mouth has only ever been open a crack. The money guys have found something. Something that will blow the Hellmouth wide open either find a way to stop it before it starts or get very far away."

"So, we go ahead with the ritual SAP." Buffy said. "It would be great if we could find out what the corporate big bad planned to use against us but by the time we found it, it could be too late." Buffy sat back down and took hold of Spike's hand.

"Hey look at the hand holding." Clem pointed out cheering up a little. "I knew you two would work things out." Spike smiled at this aware of Angel on brooding in the corner but too happy to look very smug.

Buffy couldn't help a little grin in return but quickly got back to business. "So what's your wonderful news Angel? Somehow I don't think you're here because you heard we could use a hand painting the baby's room."

"I thought I was here to help you out." A well fed vampire could blush in extreme circumstances and Angel was wishing hard that he hadn't drank that second thermos of otter. "But I think, maybe it's possible – I might be the corporate big bad."

Various versions of "What!" went around the table. Wes and Faith both looked sick and it was Wes that spoke first. "You made a deal with Wolfram & Hart. You actually **signed** a contract?"

"There were reasons, good ones." Angel said and Buffy thought it was amazing how much like Dawn he sounded for a vampire who was over 200 years old.

"Don't care who holds the title to your soul Angel, it's still accounted for. So you can still help. Whatever you've brought with you could be used to win this war" Spike said reasonably. Angel had a sinking feeling again as if he dropped further down that rabbit hole.

Giles said "Good point Spike, now we can either eradicate this weapon or turn it against the First somehow."

Angel was once again on the Giles' big porch. This time Buffy was with him and Spike was right there by her side. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay? I can help." Angel asked for the fourth time.

"No it's decided we need you for second line of defense if the plan doesn't work. Anyone left if there is anybody will head for LA." Buffy said

Spike was the first, as always, to break the awkward silence that statement. "Whatever mess you've gotten yourself into Angel, be careful alright."

"I'd tell you to do the same but you might get the idea I care." Angel tried to joke

"And the resulting terror would keep me awake for days on end." Spike said with a mock shutter

Buffy and Spike shared a look and after a moment Buffy said "I'll be up in a while Spike. Don't take a shower without me K?"

"Wouldn't dream of it love." Spike answered suppressing the urge to smirk. "I'll just leave you to say you farewells in private." Then he abandoned all his self control at the last moment by adding, "I'll just go up and turn down the bed then."

That was the last straw Angel laughed, it was a lonely laugh and a little bitter but it broke the tension. "Sorry about that Angel, Spike is about four years old sometimes."  
  
"But he makes you happy?" Angel asked already knowing the answer was yes from the look on her face.

"Last year we were each other's weakness; this year we've been one another's strength. If we're lucky next year we can work on the happy."

"You're..."Angel searched for the right word. "different." He touched Buffy's cheek tenderly and stepped down part way off the porch so that he and Buffy were almost eye-to-eye.

"Does that disappoint you?" The idea of letting Angel down hurt and at the same time removed a burden from her. She lifted her face and gave them a soft kiss goodbye.


	13. 13

Part 13 Road to Victory  
  
"It's almost magic how a house full of people can vanish when the kitchen needs to be cleaned. If we put the dishes off until after we subdue the source of all evil and correct an age old fault in the Slayer line; the counter will be stained and we might as well toss out the pan." Anya said scrubbing at a spot clearly upset.

"You don't feel left; out do you, darling?" Giles asked knowing it wasn't the dishes that bothered her

"What, because I won't be drinking and getting all powered up with the rest of you?"

"You make it sound like an orgy." Giles complain.

Anya said "Oh, I know it won't be anything nearly as interesting, otherwise I would complain."

"But you are worried." Giles said putting his arms around her.

"Pre-apocalypse jitters that's all."

"I know you better than that, Anya. There's some specific worry mixed in with the general fear of death or dismemberment."

"I'm worried this won't work but I don't feel left out of the fight. I know I'm doing my part" What concerned Anya wasn't herself; she was worried that they might be forcing people into roles they weren't meant to have. Andrew a Watcher? The annoying boy had been kicked out of one room after the other last night. Anya wasn't sure if he wanted comfort, sex or both but he ended up playing scrabble with Xander and Clem. And Willow was a witch, not a Slayer, It couldn't be helped though, they were all doing what they had to and it did right an injustice. Rupert knew all this so she just said honestly. "As for power, there is plenty of power in who I am now and in what I'm becoming."

"You won't get any argument from me, dearest. I think you grow stronger and more beautiful every day. God don't cry." Giles held her tighter.

"Well it's not fair of you to say something like that. I've got hormones and besides, what am I going to say to you? Me too, lacks something and you'll just think I'm being polite."

"Is that it then?" Giles asked rubbing the bump of her belly.

"No, well, maybe." She tried to find the words to explain that she finally felt real to herself. She wasn't acting out a script written by some one else anymore and everyone deserved that. "We're not forcing them to be what they can't or shouldn't be - are we? What if we're just making it worse?"

"Ah, I've been thinking about this too." Giles knew exactly how it felt after all to be forced into a mold that didn't fit. It wasn't what he wanted for these children they were his as much as the one inside Anya's womb. "Everyone has made as informed a decision as possible. We just have trust. What else can we do?"

"I suppose I'm ready as I'll ever be." Anya said putting the last pan away.

"Anya, watch and promise me if things do go wrong. Go to the coven. They may be able to you both safe."

888

Giles took vessel filled with herbed wine from Anya and was the first to drink. He handed to his Slayer. Buffy took swallow and made a face then handed it to Spike who took it with shaking hands. When the former Slayer of Slayers sent him a questioning look Giles simply nodded and the Vampire took his share.

It went on around the circle there was a change in each person as they drank. It wasn't a glow-y eyes or black vein-y changed. It was like they changed clothes or maybe put on amour. The Scoobies, Faith, Wes, Ahn Cho, Vi and Amanda, even Andrew looked more sure of themselves. It was more than confidence though; they were more themselves, more real. When Anya saw that she felt much better. The odds that they would all survive might just have improved.

"So we paint after, right? Has Anya picked out the paint for the nursery?" Spike asked Giles casually as he took a sword from Buffy.

"A pleasant shade light of green with yellow trim. You didn't think you could catch me this way did you? I know all about the baby pool I saw Andrew's chart."

"Worth a shot, I'm going with a girl. I think you're as doomed as I am. Speaking of, do you have that sparkler love?"

"Don't say that, you are not ... What you just said, Willow going to fix it." Buffy said smacking Spikes arm and looking like she wanted to cling to it at the same time.

"What's that supposed to mean? I think that a little girl would be would be wonderful, just like her mother." Giles protested at the same time Buffy spoke.

"The pair of us are doomed to be wrapped round tiny fingers. And you'll be twisted around the tiniest."

"Maybe but I'm still not telling you if it's a girl."

"Not even to add to our nest egg?" Buffy asked coyly.

"That's not fair!" Giles said.

"See what I mean mate?"

"Doomed." All three said at once.

"All right," Buffy said "time we split up"

Buffy and Spike would fight beside Violet and Ahn Cho on the front line. Vi had surprised everyone and became the best of the inexperienced Slayers. Ahn Cho was also a very good fighter but she was on the 'A' team because Spike had finally admitted he could speak Mandarin.

Faith, Wes, Xan and Amanda would have their backs. They were to make sure that no demon got past them. While Willow, Giles, Dawn and Andrew were the key to the battle they would work the spell needed to redirect and focus the amulet's power.

The objective was to keep the turok-han and whatever else the Hellmouth belches out contained while team C does their job. The fighters were greatly out numbered turok-han and 'bringers poured out of the Hellmouth.

Buffy and Spike had always fought well together. Now they were fought as one, there were no quips, no unnecessary movement. It was a study in economy and grace drawn in blood. They didn't even pause to make sure they made the kill. They did their best and trusted if that wasn't enough that Faith's team do the cleanup.

When Spike realized that the demons who could see the amulet were trying to avoid killing him he took off his shirt. This might have seemed like spoiling his own fun but considering the odds and what was at stake he took the advantage. He continued to give his all in the fight.

At one point in the battle things got turned around and Spike and Buffy were backing up Xander and Wes. Faith had gotten hurt. It was hard to tell how badly. Ahn Cho almost lost her head to a demon with an ax but Xan had at the last instant called out the word he had heard Spike use that he assumed was 'duck' or 'look out'. Whatever it was it worked.

Even Anya magically observing at home with Clem couldn't say for sure how long the intense battle was. Just when everyone was beginning to tire Spike started to feel warm. It started as only a small pinprick at the top of his head. The light seemed to seer into his very core and spread outward.

888

Dawn was anxiously looking out the back of the school bus for her sister and she admitted to herself, Spike. Illogically she thought to herself that if the vampire dusted himself saving the world before she could forgive him she'd never forgive him for it. She tried to distract herself by taking stock of those present. She had some small already healing cuts from a skirmish with a bringer but was otherwise unharmed like the rest of her team. Willow's hair had gone completely white but it wasn't really that bad a look. Giles had changed in some way but Dawn couldn't put her finger on it. Did he just look less stressed? Faith was hurt but it didn't look too bad. Wesley was dressing the wound and it looked like some serious flirting was going on. "Do you think we should send somebody after them?" Dawn asked not able to keep quiet anymore.

"There's no sense in going back. If they aren't already..." Xander was interrupted twin thumps on the roof of the bus.

"Look dad, no blanket." Spike said to Giles as he burst thought the door holding Buffy's hand. "Seems like the preacher got it all wrong; I'm no Samson, this lad's Daniel."

"Daniel? Did I miss some lions?" Buffy asked in confusion.


	14. Epilogue

Epilogue: Mr. Lucky

"Say 'kittens' everyone!" Clem shouted cheerfully before snapping the picture.

Giles had the odd sensation of seeing himself from outside for a moment. This was the scene from his vision. At the time it had been just a glimmer of hope. He'd had no idea how complete and happy he was going to be. How happy they all were.

Buffy and Spike copied he and Anya's pose, hands joined protectively over their unborn children, even though Buffy was only a few weeks along and her tummy was still flat. Wesley on the other hand was very deliberately **not **placing his hands on that part of Faith's anatomy. Xander was standing behind Dawn and Willow making rabbit ears behind their heads. Andrew and the younger Slayer were crowded together on Giles right most of them already buzzing with caffeine and sugar. Giles would never admit it but he relished the chaos.

This would be the last time they would all be together until the winter holidays. Buffy, Spike, Dawn and Violet were moving to London. Wesley, Faith and Ahn Cho would be watching over the Hellmouth in Cleveland. Willow was headed to Africa with Andrew to confirm some unusual demon activity. Amanda was living with her parents in Sunnydale.

Xander was sticking around to play uncle after all. Two days after the high school collapsed into a crater a half mile deep Xander met Iris and fell head over heels. Iris was curvy, short and extremely shy. She was the first woman Xander had actually pursued in years or perhaps ever. Her nervous habit of twisting her hair seemed at odds with the color. Then it was revealed that the lavender was natural. She had been certain of rejection. Xander didn't even ask if she planned to eat his heart or end the world. He just declared her even more perfect for him. Willow approved of her, she wasn't his usual type at all and Iris' presence meant the Hellmouth was truly closed even if she wasn't one hundred percent fairy.


End file.
